Do you feel that Rattlesnake hunting is legitimate hunting? - Page 3

treg · December 18, 2012, 07:36 AM

Sounds like another attack from the apartment dwelling food comes from the grocery store types.

**Art Eatman** · December 18, 2012, 09:54 AM

rickyrick, it sometimes helps to point out that only hunters and gardeners are do-it-yourselfers for their food. When we get our food from a grocery or a restaurant, we've hired somebody else to do the dirty work.

CurlyQ.Howard · December 18, 2012, 10:52 AM

Having been told what a rattlesnake bite did to an English setter as well as what a huge sum of money and vet care could not undo, I'm all for hunting and killing every rattlesnake.

MLeake · December 18, 2012, 11:13 PM

Curly, your grasp or ecological balance is breathtaking - in a sad way.

Can rattlesnake hunting be legitimate? Yes.

Is it, always, everywhere? No.

Kill 'em all is normally very poor wildlife management.

huntinaz · December 18, 2012, 11:46 PM

My "hunting" them consisted of driving dirt roads at night and then shooting them with 38 shot capsules. Wasn't much of a hunt but it was fun and they are good eating.

In general, I probably let more go than I kill. Around the house they get the shovel.

Daggitt · December 19, 2012, 12:04 AM

Only had one incident. Found a bunch of babies under the dog food bag. Euthanized them and still wonder where Mama went.

CurlyQ.Howard · December 20, 2012, 03:26 PM

MLEAKE, Obviously, you cannot begin to understand what that rattlesnake did with just one bite. This setter bitch was a top 1-2% dog, and the owner's breeding line depended on it to the point that he invested ten thousand $ or so trying to save it (let alone how it suffered). And, since any rattlesnake can poison anybody or any animal that it chooses to bite, I'm all for exterminating each and every one of them. Can you prove to me that the rattlesnake lives where no non-venomous snake can live and hunt vermin? So what purpose does the venomous snake serve? Maybe for scientific research. If so, then let the rattlesnake live in a lab environment so its venom can be used for research. Besides, haven't you ever watched True Grit? Need I say any more?

MLeake · December 20, 2012, 03:56 PM

Typically, we find out what niche a critter had filled after the fact, when we see the results of eradication.

The Laws of Murphy and of Unintended Consequences tend to teach unpleasant lessons.

Meanwhile, snakes kill dogs. My in-laws lost a dachsund to a rattler a few years back. They could just as easily have lost the dog to a red-tailed hawk. Should we hunt hawks to eradication?

Emotional, irrational responses to threats are how we normally like to define antis. Obviously, those responses are not limited to antis...

rickyrick · December 20, 2012, 04:19 PM

I'm mainly concerned with actual hunting of snakes to be sold by the pound and made into merchandise. While many hunters remove nuiesence snakes for people, I'm talking about the same format as most other types of animals....going to private lands leased for hunting and procuring the snakes. I must insist that the western diamondback population is not in any distress. The population is bountiful and healthy. Their numbers vary by climate, hunting them as a whole has negligible impact. I can assume that there are some farms with lower numbers due to hunting, but that's only a guess.

erikk · December 20, 2012, 04:37 PM

The only good snake is a dead snake. Any snake, any time. I'll set traps & poison for rodents

JWT · December 20, 2012, 06:03 PM

Rattlesnake roundups are fine. But I tend to let em alone. Did have one in my garage and had that removed and I'm sure released not too far from here. I'd rather have a few of them than the damned pack rats. Snakes don't chew up wires, and spa covers etc. Nor do they pack pieces of cactus and other debris in every cranny they can find.

CCCLVII · December 20, 2012, 10:37 PM

I shoot them when they are near my home of near my grazing land. If I was out hunting deer or some thing I would leave it alone if I saw one. I just don't want them to bite one of my grand kids or one of my cows. I don't mess with non-poisonous snakes.

I use a form 3 Short barrel 12ga for the snakes. It carries well on the hip and packs a real punch.

CurlyQ.Howard · December 20, 2012, 10:42 PM

Killing a rattlesnake is the equivalent of defusing a bomb. Nothing emotional; just a quick, clean kill.

sam colt · December 20, 2012, 10:49 PM

I have no problem killing them, snakes make me hurt myself by running into things to get away. And from the snakes side it's the one sport were the prey has a chance to win.

View Poll Results: Do you feel rattlesnake hunting is a legitimate form of hunting.
Yes	63	75.00%
No	8	9.52%
On the fence need more info	13	15.48%
Voters: 84. You may not vote on this poll

December 18, 2012, 07:36 AM	#51
treg Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2006 Posts: 934	Sounds like another attack from the apartment dwelling food comes from the grocery store types. __________________ "Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway." - John Wayne .44 Special: For those who get it, no explanation is necessary. For those who don't, no explanation is possible.

December 18, 2012, 09:54 AM	#52
Art Eatman Staff Lead Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX, USA Posts: 20,947	rickyrick, it sometimes helps to point out that only hunters and gardeners are do-it-yourselfers for their food. When we get our food from a grocery or a restaurant, we've hired somebody else to do the dirty work. __________________ You're from BATFE? Come right in! I use all your fine products!

December 18, 2012, 11:46 PM	#55
huntinaz Senior Member Join Date: September 21, 2010 Location: az Posts: 862	My "hunting" them consisted of driving dirt roads at night and then shooting them with 38 shot capsules. Wasn't much of a hunt but it was fun and they are good eating. In general, I probably let more go than I kill. Around the house they get the shovel. __________________ Wanted: 50 Beowulf Brass, .500 cal bullets "Once you quit hearing sir and ma'am, the rest is soon to follow." - Cormack McCarthy "I'm just an average Joe, although I did score 4 touchdowns in one game..."-Al Bundy

December 20, 2012, 04:19 PM	#59
rickyrick Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2010 Location: Mesquite Jungle Desert, West Texas, USA Posts: 2,278	I'm mainly concerned with actual hunting of snakes to be sold by the pound and made into merchandise. While many hunters remove nuiesence snakes for people, I'm talking about the same format as most other types of animals....going to private lands leased for hunting and procuring the snakes. I must insist that the western diamondback population is not in any distress. The population is bountiful and healthy. Their numbers vary by climate, hunting them as a whole has negligible impact. I can assume that there are some farms with lower numbers due to hunting, but that's only a guess. __________________ *Navin R. Johnson*: "He hates these cans!!!! Stay away from the cans!!!!"

December 18, 2012, 10:52 AM	#53
CurlyQ.Howard Senior Member Join Date: May 2, 2012 Posts: 230	Having been told what a rattlesnake bite did to an English setter as well as what a huge sum of money and vet care could not undo, I'm all for hunting and killing every rattlesnake.

December 18, 2012, 11:13 PM	#54
MLeake Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 2007 Location: Outside KC, MO Posts: 9,672	Curly, your grasp or ecological balance is breathtaking - in a sad way. Can rattlesnake hunting be legitimate? Yes. Is it, always, everywhere? No. Kill 'em all is normally very poor wildlife management.

December 19, 2012, 12:04 AM	#56
Daggitt Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2011 Posts: 265	Only had one incident. Found a bunch of babies under the dog food bag. Euthanized them and still wonder where Mama went.

December 20, 2012, 03:26 PM	#57
CurlyQ.Howard Senior Member Join Date: May 2, 2012 Posts: 230	MLEAKE, Obviously, you cannot begin to understand what that rattlesnake did with just one bite. This setter bitch was a top 1-2% dog, and the owner's breeding line depended on it to the point that he invested ten thousand $ or so trying to save it (let alone how it suffered). And, since any rattlesnake can poison anybody or any animal that it chooses to bite, I'm all for exterminating each and every one of them. Can you prove to me that the rattlesnake lives where no non-venomous snake can live and hunt vermin? So what purpose does the venomous snake serve? Maybe for scientific research. If so, then let the rattlesnake live in a lab environment so its venom can be used for research. Besides, haven't you ever watched True Grit? Need I say any more?

December 20, 2012, 03:56 PM	#58
MLeake Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 2007 Location: Outside KC, MO Posts: 9,672	Typically, we find out what niche a critter had filled after the fact, when we see the results of eradication. The Laws of Murphy and of Unintended Consequences tend to teach unpleasant lessons. Meanwhile, snakes kill dogs. My in-laws lost a dachsund to a rattler a few years back. They could just as easily have lost the dog to a red-tailed hawk. Should we hunt hawks to eradication? Emotional, irrational responses to threats are how we normally like to define antis. Obviously, those responses are not limited to antis...

December 20, 2012, 04:37 PM	#60
erikk Junior Member Join Date: October 2, 2012 Posts: 13	The only good snake is a dead snake. Any snake, any time. I'll set traps & poison for rodents

December 20, 2012, 06:03 PM	#61
JWT Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2007 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 2,825	Rattlesnake roundups are fine. But I tend to let em alone. Did have one in my garage and had that removed and I'm sure released not too far from here. I'd rather have a few of them than the damned pack rats. Snakes don't chew up wires, and spa covers etc. Nor do they pack pieces of cactus and other debris in every cranny they can find.

December 20, 2012, 10:37 PM	#62
CCCLVII Senior Member Join Date: April 16, 2012 Location: Idaho Posts: 226	I shoot them when they are near my home of near my grazing land. If I was out hunting deer or some thing I would leave it alone if I saw one. I just don't want them to bite one of my grand kids or one of my cows. I don't mess with non-poisonous snakes. I use a form 3 Short barrel 12ga for the snakes. It carries well on the hip and packs a real punch. __________________ "I ask, Sir, What is the militia?" "Its the whole of the people. To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them" -George Mason Co-Author of the second amendment.

December 20, 2012, 10:42 PM	#63
CurlyQ.Howard Senior Member Join Date: May 2, 2012 Posts: 230	Killing a rattlesnake is the equivalent of defusing a bomb. Nothing emotional; just a quick, clean kill.

December 20, 2012, 10:49 PM	#64
sam colt Member Join Date: February 12, 2012 Location: nc Posts: 88	rattlesnake I have no problem killing them, snakes make me hurt myself by running into things to get away. And from the snakes side it's the one sport were the prey has a chance to win.